A Different Perspective
by khughes830
Summary: Donna gets another perspective Post Episode The Ticket spoilers included!


She whipped her id out of her purse and waved it in front of the  
guard, who waved her through without a second glance. She was never  
more thankful for her Russell contract than she was right now – it  
ended on Friday, and for that she was almost as thankful, but for  
today, this id, these last few hours as part of the staff for the out-  
going Vice-President had its perks.

She wanted to be alone. Her roommate had been more than persistent  
after she got back from California. She wanted to hear about  
everything and wanted to spend all their time together. She knew  
that Linda had been lonely while she was gone and she really did like  
her roommate, but her roommate's favorite topic was Josh and she  
couldn't bear to talk about that, not right now.

DC was crowded with tourists this time of year and she had no desire  
to deal with all the people milling around the Lincoln Memorial,  
besides, it held to many memories… she knew that was out of the  
question.

The Rose Garden had always been her solace, when she needed a moment,  
some quiet. The smell of all the roses always got to him, so she  
knew that he would never bug her out there. It became her place, and  
this one last time, that was where she wanted to be.

_And if you think I don't miss you everyday…_

Those words played over and over and over in her head as she auto-  
piloted her way through the halls. The staff, at this point, was  
skeleton, and that was putting it nicely. She was more than certain  
that she wouldn't run into Toby or CJ or Margaret. Especially now,  
when everyone was concentrating on the leak and finding whoever that  
person was.

She threw open the doors to the Rose Garden and took a deep breath.  
The roses were in full bloom. This was her favorite time of year,  
here in the White House, when the flowers were all in bloom. Her  
eyes watered again, as she thought that this was probably the last  
time she would stand here. It would have been one thing to have been  
beaten, having put in all the work and losing a hard fought battle,  
but knowing that she wasn't… couldn't… be invited to the party made  
it all that much harder to deal with and the tears that she had been  
fighting back since walking out of his office started to run down her  
face. No amount of will power at this point could make them stop, so  
she collapsed on one of the benches and had herself a good cry.

She didn't realize that she could be seen, or that anyone would even  
notice her out there, so she didn't even hear the doors open. She  
didn't even realize she was no longer alone until she heard her name.

"Donna?"

She knew she was a mess as she looked up at the youngest Bartlet  
daughter, but at this point, she didn't care. She tried to smile at  
Zoey, but the tears started again. She covered her eyes with the  
used tissue and felt Zoey put her arms around her shoulders and pull  
her onto her shoulder. It had been so long… since any of them, the  
old crew, had been together, had tried to take care of each other,  
really, since any of them could really have called each  
other friends'…. Well, this just made the tears come harder. She  
knew, in the back of her head, she should have felt foolish, crying  
like a baby on the shoulder of one of the First Daughters, but she  
just didn't have the strength to fight anymore. So, she just cried.

She didn't have any idea how long they sat there like that, Zoey just  
letting her cry, but eventually, her tears subsided. She pulled her  
head up and looked at Zoey's tear stained shirt.

"Oh crap, Zoey, I'm so sorry…"

"Its fine, Donna, its fine. Nothing that can't be cleaned."

Donna sighed and looked down at her hands.

"Donna, want to tell me why you are out here, in the Rose Garden,  
crying?"

She looked at this young girl, who was much wiser than her 25  
years. "How did you know I was out here?"

"Charlie called. He said he walked by and saw you out here. He said  
he would have stopped, but he was with Kate Harper and…"

She held up her hand. "It's fine. Tell him its fine."

"So…"

"Oh god, where to even start!"

"OK, so, let's try this… you back across the street?"

"Yeah, I guess till Friday, at least. My contract runs out… Will  
said he would reup it for the remainder of the term, but I just… I  
don't think I can just sit on the sidelines and play Solitaire all  
day, you know?"

Zoey just shook her head. "So, what about the Santos…"

Just the name Santos made the tears come back to her eyes and,  
instantly, Zoey understood.

"You've already been there, haven't you?"

Donna just shook her head yes, unsure that she could get any words  
out at this point.

"Donna, what happened?"

Donna took a couple of deep breaths, knowing she would need to be  
able to start telling this story. She knew Will was going to ask the  
minute she saw him and she would much rather be a basket case in  
front of Zoey Bartlet than Will Bailey – at least Zoey could  
understand… Will didn't much care of Josh Lyman these days.

"I went in, without an appointment, but I told them I had an  
interview. They all recognized me; they all looked kind of shocked I  
was there. That woman, Ronna… anyway, she grabbed me and told me to  
follow her. She pulled Josh out of a meeting for me and we went into  
his office. Zoey, I was so nervous! I started my pitch – I had  
practiced it like a thousand times over the last four days, so I just  
plowed ahead. He tried to stop me, but you know me, unstoppable and  
impervious, so I just kept talking. Then, he pulled out this file  
and started repeating my words back to me. I swear, half of them, I  
don't even remember. Something about Kung Pau chicken, I think.  
God, Zoey, you know… it was my job, I had to do it, I had to defend  
Russell. I threw Josh's actions back at him, you know, the humming  
of "These Boots are Made for Walking" and what-not and then he  
says "Yeah, but I won", like I'm just some idiot trying to jump ships  
or something. Then he…" Just thinking about it put her stomach in  
knots.

"What Donna?"

"He started in on how he's got all these people looking at him for  
direction and how Santos doesn't trust any of them. Then, he  
says and if you think I don't miss you everyday…'".

Zoey was riveted. Everyone had waited for this moment, when they  
finally acted, realized, or whatever it was that these two would do.

"What! What did he say?"

"Nothing. I stopped him. He offered to make some calls on my  
behalf, but I just had to get out of there before I lost it."

Zoey just sighed and gave Donna a hug. She knew, she had seen it  
from day one, from the minute Donna joined the campaign all those  
years ago. Zoey was about to open her mouth when Donna started  
talking again.

"Misses me, huh? What, he can't find another sounding board, can't  
learn another assistant's name to scream at through the door, can't  
do his own typing!"

Then, Zoey did something that she had seen her mother and CJ do more  
time than she could count, but something she had never done herself,  
no matter how mad Charlie made her. She slapped Donna up the back of  
the head.

"OW!" Donna yelled as she rubbed her hand on the back of her  
head. "What the hell, Zoey!"

"God, Donna, aren't you tired? I would be, after 9 years of  
misdirection and other men and things that have been left unsaid for  
way too long. You really think that's what he meant when he said he  
missed you everyday? Are you really that dense, are you really  
that willing to ignore it, to NOT see it!"

The fight was on the top of Donna's tongue. It was so rehearsed it  
was like second nature at this point – "I have no idea what you are  
talking about", "Yeah, right, him and that ego – please, give me some  
credit", "He's my best friend", "He's a busy man with no time to  
shower, much less have a relationship", etc, etc, etc. Her brain was  
trying to process which line to use, to start with, when she noticed  
the look on Zoey's face, that look of awe and irritation. As the  
years had passed, she was very used to those looks. Suddenly, the  
fight was gone.

"I'm exhausted."

"Well, thank the heavens! And just when we thought that you two were  
completely hopeless…"

"But, Zoey, I'm sure he didn't…"

"He did. He meant it exactly how you want to take it. If you really  
believe that he doesn't miss you, you're a fool!"

"God, I miss him too! I still cry, and it's been almost a year since  
I left, but I miss him, seeing him, talking to him…"

The tears started to well up in her eyes again. She didn't even know  
how she still had tears left to shed, but there they were. Zoey put  
an arm around her shoulder again.

"I know you do, Donna, I know you do, but, perhaps, just perhaps,  
this is for the best."

Donna was confused. "What?"

"Just hear me out – you are going to be in high demand. There are  
100 senators and a bazillion Representatives that would love to have  
you as part of their staff. You are going to get a job, that's for  
sure. I mean, think about, no taboo, no stress, you can finally be  
Josh and Donna – not Deputy Chief of Staff and his assistant, or  
Campaign Manager and whatever you where applying for. Either way, in  
November, he's going to be a LOT more stable than he is right now.  
Just do me a favor and think about the possibilities, just for a  
second."

Donna just stared at this young woman, who was voicing every thought  
she had over the last four days – finally being able to be together,  
with no restrictions, no lines that couldn't be crossed. She had  
convinced herself that it wasn't possible, which is why she went  
looking for the job in the first place, but now, sitting here,  
listening to the words of wisdom coming out of the mouth of Zoey  
Bartlet, she began to see again.

"Ok, so, suppose your right…"

"Donna…"

"OK, OK, OK, just don't smack me again. So, I guess my question is…  
now what?"

Zoey smiled and stood up. "That's where two pints of Rocky Road and  
a phone come in. Let's go."

Zoey took off toward the doors that lead to the Residence before  
Donna had a chance to stand up.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I know where Dad hides the Rocky Road, and I think that this  
afternoon that you've had calls for a good pint of ice cream. Then  
we call my sister."

"Ellie?"

"Liz. She's always been the crafty one, the one to come up with the  
elaborate plans. She'll be able to help."

Donna just smiled at Zoey. She was so determined, so convinced that  
Donna had no choice but to feel her spirits rise up just a little  
bit. Maybe things weren't as bleak as she thought they were just a  
few minutes ago.

Donna walked over and Zoey linked her right arm through Donna's left.

"Rocky Road, huh?"

"Yeah. He thinks it's well hidden, but Dad always did suck at hiding  
things. We always found our Christmas presents well before Christmas  
Day."

"I would have taken the President for a Cookies and Cream man."

Zoey just smiled at Donna, glad to hear her joking and not crying  
anymore. Zoey pulled her through the doors and up toward the  
Residence to fix something that should have never been broken in the  
first place.

The End


End file.
